Opinion of Alexis Tsipras

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I say that we hold the Hard Left to the same standards that they hold everyone else. But I'll also add (in fairness) that it isn't as though the alternatives are anything other than obviously worse.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

There's no happy ending to this story is there? Depressing.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Many of the demanded reforms actually look pretty reasonable (sorry comrades but it's true: I'm not sure if we should be getting particularly furious at the idea of ending pension sweetheart deals or special rates of VAT for islands or whatever). However many of the cuts already imposed were (and are) clearly not* and general principle that you can, indeed, get blood out of a stone is less than entirely sane.

_{*A political question worth asking I suspect: why were all these bullsh!t featherbedding arrangements (relatively) protected?}

[Filuwaúrdjan]

_{*A political question worth asking I suspect: why were all these bullsh!t featherbedding arrangements (relatively) protected?}

Protected by whom? Tsipras or the creditors?

I mean why are they only on the proposed chopping block now given that actually important government services were hit badly long before? You'd think that regionally variable VAT that's obviously used as a way of dodging tax would be one of the first things to go.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Well yes. One presumes that their intent is mostly just to get their money back (not that they've gone about that in a particularly intelligent manner).